The main reason I like the palm hel strike is because you are less likely to break your hand with this type of strike than you are with a closed fisted strike. Also I like the palm heel to the chin because this breaks your attacker's balance, then you can step in and throw him to the ground.

The reason I love palm heel strikes is that to an onlooker (witness) or to anyone watching cctv after the incident it looks less agressive than a punch. "I only pushed him officer" or "I only slapped him your honour"Sharon

[QUOTE]Originally posted by wadowoman:The reason I love palm heel strikes is that to an onlooker (witness) or to anyone watching cctv after the incident it looks less agressive than a punch. "I only pushed him officer" or "I only slapped him your honour"[/QUOTE]

Oddly enough, there are some MMA competitions where you can palm heel, but not punch. Apparently the ruling exists because of a similar rationale, i.e. punching is deemed less acceptable than palm heeling by either venues or licensing authorities (I forget which).

I have never used a palm strike in combat before with the exception of one to the solar plexus.

In my school we are taught about the plam strike to the solar plexus to drop an opponent. We are also taught to strike the nose with one for fatal results.(Not getting into the debate of the nose bone in the brain thing, my instructor claims he seen people killed by a plam to the nose in WW2. But thats not my question)

My question is if you use a palm to the chin can you sanp someones neck or not? I have heard people tell me that a plam can throw someone off balance and maybe ko them, i have heard that a palm to the chin can snap the neck crippling your opponent or killing them. What is true?

Also if you use a palm upside the jaw or to the eye socket can you ko some as if you used a punch?Also does it leave a noticeable mark like a punch does.

I just know that a palm is more powerful and less painful for you by using it on combos to the punching bag.

I think the technique you are referring to is what people who have studied WWII Comabatives call a "chin jab". This may be what your instructor was alluding to, although he would have to be pretty old to have seen it first hand. [IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif[/IMG]

The palm is thrust under the chin, cranking the neck back-- not into the nose. It's like an upper cut to the chin, only done with the palm (and therefore with the inside of the forearm forward, unlike the upper cut). Ths shock from this blow can definitely generate enough "brain rattle" to knock someone out. You can crouch down while entering, then use the legs to add power to the blow when you come up.

When people speak of this technique being fatal, they are most likely referring to the "second half" of the technique, where the person's legs are swept out from under him (like osoto gari in judo), and then the head is driven into the ground when they fall.

The whole sequence is continuous-- pop the chin, sweep the legs (or leg), then drive them headfirst into the pavement. Obviously this is a very dangerous technique, and it should only be considered where lethal force is justified. In the WWII Combative manuals, the enemy was usually finished by stomping or jumping on them with heavy boots.

As far as I know, no one has ever been killed with a palm strike to the nose. Anatomically speaking, it's extremely unlikely. If you know someone who insists this has happened you might take it as a sign that you should evaluate other things he tells you carefully.

Busting someone's head open on the cement, though, is easier than it should be...

Yea my master instructor is pretty old like 85 or something like that. Hes been doing MA since the 40s, and been doing tae kwon do and hapkido since the 60s, and old style from korea called chung do kwan. In are one step sparring, #3 and #13 involve palm thrust to the nose. He told us that they are the most lethal of attacks and can kill someone instantly, he claims to have seen people drop dead from palm heels back in WW2. Ive heard that palms to the nose arent fatal, but thats what hes said. #1 and #11 are also to the nose, but with a punch instead. As well as #6 and #16 with backfist to the nose. He tells us that punches and backfist will break the nose while a plam heel will have fatal results. I personally beleive are #5 is the most lethal(a spearhand to the throat).But hes the 5th blackbelt not me. I was just curious about a palm to the chin because i would think the neck would get the full force of the blow.